1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a terminal connecting apparatus for connecting a terminal to a conductor of a flexible flat circuit body, such as an FPC (Flexible Printed Circuit), an FFC (Flexible Flat Cable).
2. Description of the Related Art
Many various electronic devices are installed in a car as a vehicle. A wiring harness is wired in the car for transmitting electric power and control signals to the electronic devices. The wiring harness includes a plurality of electric wires and a plurality of connectors. The electric wire is a covered wire including a conductive core wire and an insulation cover for covering the core wire.
The connector includes an insulation housing fitting into a mating housing of a mating connector and a conductive terminal to be received in the housing. The terminal has a wire connecting portion to be joined with an end of the electric wire for connecting electrically with the core wire at one end of the terminal, and an electric contact portion to be touched with a mating terminal at another end of the terminal. Connecting the connector housing with the mating connector housing, the wiring harness transmits the control signals to the electronic devices.
In recent years, the wiring harness has increasing number of wires in proportion as the number of electronic devices installed in the car increases. The flat circuit body, such as FFC, FPC, which is lighter and thinner than the round wires used usually and can be wired in high density and in a small space, is applied in many cases.
When the terminal is joined with the flat circuit body, a terminal connecting apparatus 101 shown in FIG. 8 is usually used (refer Patent Document 1). The terminal connecting apparatus 101 includes a receiving base 106 for mounting a flat circuit body 131 on itself, a pair of guide walls 111 arranging and positioning a terminal 134, which has claws 138 bent perpendicularly at both sides of a bottom wall 137 thereof, therebetween, and a pressing member 113 making the claws 138 penetrate through a conductor 132 of the flat circuit body 131 by pressing the terminal 134.
After arranging front ends of the claws 138 of the terminal 134 opposing toward the flat circuit body 131, positioning the terminal 134 to align the pair of guide walls 111 along outer surfaces of the claws 138, pressing the terminal 134 toward the flat circuit body 131 by the pressing member 113, the terminal connecting apparatus 101 makes the claws 138 penetrate into the conductor 132 of the flat circuit body 131. Furthermore, bending each claws 138 penetrating through the conductor 132 and an insulation cover 133 of the flat circuit body 131 inwardly to each other to follow a curved surface of a recess formed at the receiving base 106, the terminal connecting apparatus 101 joins the terminal 134 with the flat circuit body 131.
The terminal 134 is received into the connector housing, so that the flat circuit body 131 joined with the terminal 134 is assembled as the wiring harness.
Patent Document 1 is Japan Patent Published No. 2002-246091.